A record 216 performers are taking the stage this year in the preliminary round of competition that takes place Saturday, Feb. 28, and Sunday, March 1.

“We are thrilled with the response from the students this year who registered for the competition — they’re anxiously awaiting the opportunity to shine”said Mary Strauss, President of the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation Board of Directors.

Of the 11 Illinois competing schools they include the high schools of Civic Memorial with three students; Edwardsville with eight students; and Collinsville with one student, all located in Madison County. Other high schools participating in the more immediate Metro East are Belleville East, Madison, O’Fallon Township, Waterloo and Cahokia. From the more outlying area to the Metro East participating are high schools in Columbia, Mascoutah and Okawville.

The Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation re-introduced the St. Louis Teen Talent Competition in 2011 to showcase the St. Louis region’s most talented teens in the performing arts. Student acts this year include singers, dancers, musicians, and circus artists competing as soloists or in groups up to six people.

This year 148 acts registered with an even greater variety in the groups competing. Ultimately the final competition will take place on the stage of the Fabulous Fox in St. Louis. This year’s entries from 73 schools in the bi-state metropolitan area include an even larger number of students in a variety of acts including newcomers in the categories of wire walking and contortionist.

More than 70 students took advantage of two free pre-competition workshops offered by Megan Larche Dominick, casting director for The Muny, and Marsha Parker, Director of Theatre at Lindenwood University — Belleville. Miano.tv produces videos of the competition process which will be available on the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation’s own channel donated by SchoolTube.com. The past four years of stories currently posted provide viewers a glimpse of what the competition is all about.

Judges for the first two rounds of competition will again include an impressive cross section of professionals from the St. Louis performing arts community. A complete list of preliminary and semi-final judges is available on the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation website.

The two days of preliminary competition, at three separate locations (Lindenwood University — Belleville, St. Louis Community College — Forest Park, University of Missouri — St. Louis) will narrow the field from 148 to 35 acts. These acts will then compete in the semi-finals on March 28 at St. Louis Community College — Forest Park where the final 12 acts will be chosen to compete at The Fox on Friday, April 24.

A total of more than $30,000 in scholarships and prizes will be distributed among the top competitors. Additionally, students are eligible for scholarships from Lindenwood University, Webster University, UMSL and Southeast Missouri State University plus gift certificates and other prizes. A full list can be found on the Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation website.

Finalists also will have the opportunity to perform at area events throughout the year. Finalists from prior years have showcased their talents at Fair St. Louis, The Muny, Shakespeare Festival St. Louis, the Sheldon Concert Hall, Six Flags, National Dance Week, Kranzberg Arts Center and TedX St. Louis among others.

Complete guidelines and information about the fifth annual 2015 St. Louis Teen Talent Competition can be found on the foundation’s website as well as on its Facebook page.

Highlights of last year’s event and the winning performances from the 2011 through 2014 events can be seen on the foundation’s SchoolTube and YouTube pages. The Nine Network will once again broadcast an hour-long program on the 2015 competition. The community response to this free event has been amazing and grown over the past four years with “sold out” crowds at the Fox. Each year 120,000 viewers have watched the Nine Network’s hour-long program on the competition.

Fox Performing Arts Charitable Foundation fosters, promotes, and encourages young people in the St. Louis region to discover and participate in the joy and wonder of live performances.

Visit the following for more information: www.foxpacf.org/teen-talent-showcase; Facebook.com/FoxPACF; Twitter.com/FoxPACF; Pinterest.com/foxpacf; YouTube.com; SchoolTube.com; Instagram; and Tumblr.